Larry's
Independent Service has been specializing in the service and repair
of CORVETTE automobiles for OVER 22 YEARS. We're your premier
CORVETTE repair and maintenance
option because we have exceptional
service. You won't find another repair facility that will take
better care of YOU and YOUR CORVETTE.

CORVETTE REPAIR

We
are committed to you with fast, quality preventative maintenance
service to help preserve the health of your CORVETTE. You'll also
enjoy the efficiency of our professional staff who is devoted
to exceptional service, personal attention and respect for your
time.

We
are fully computerized and maintain all of your vehicle's history
in our network storage. If you ever happen to develop car
trouble while you are out of town and they try to sell you a "necessary
part", all you have to do is call us and we can tell you
whether the component had been either repaired or replaced previously.
And at the end of the year, if you need your records for tax purposes,
we'll gladly print you an itemized list of all the services and
repairs to help you speed up your tax return.

Our
waiting room is setup so that you can wait comfortably whenever
you might need a quick oil change, minor service or estimate.
Enjoy our Wi-Fi enabled waiting room or we can turn the TV on
for you!

WHAT
MAKES US DIFFERENT FROM
CORVETTE DEALERSHIP SERVICE?

Personalized
Service
- To us you are not just another repair ticket. You are a CUSTOMER
in every sense of the word!

Owner
and/or Manager-
Always on the premises.

Free
Local Shuttle
- To your home or office.

Above
All-Empathy!
- We are very much aware of how unexpected repair bills can put
a dent in your budget. We will let you know the items that might
need immediate attention and the ones that can wait for a next
appointment.

We
don't want you to be a "One Time Customer"
- We want you to become a Customer and Friend for years to come.

Many
service facilities have forgotten what the word CUSTOMER
really means. We can assure you that we are fully aware of it's
meaning and you will always get personalized service in all your
vehicle's repairs and service needs.

History

First
generation-C1 (1953–1962)

The
first generation of Corvette was introduced late in
the 1953 model
year. Originally designed as a show car for the
1953 Motorama display at the New York Auto Show, it
generated enough interest to induce GM to make a production
version to sell to the public. First production was
on June 30, 1953.

This
generation was often referred to as the "solid-axle"
models (the independent
rear suspension was not introduced until the second
generation).
300 hand-built polo white Corvette convertibles
were produced for the 1953 model year.

The
1954 model year vehicles could be ordered in Pennant
Blue, Sportsman Red, Black, or Polo White. 3,640 were
built, and sold slowly.

The
1955 model offered a 265 cu in (4.34 L)
V8 engine
as an option. With a large inventory of unsold 1954
models, GM limited production to 700 for 1955. With
the V8, 0-60 mph time improved to 8.5 seconds.

A
new body was introduced for the 1956 model featuring
a new "face" and side coves; the taillamp fins were
also gone.
An optional fuel
injection system was made available in the middle
of the 1957 model year. It was one of the first mass-produced
engines in history to reach 1 bhp (0.75 kW)
per cubic inch (16.4 cubic cm) and Chevrolet's advertising
agency used a "one hp per cubic inch" slogan
for advertising the 283 bhp (211 kW) 283 cu in
(4.64 L) Small-Block
engine.
Other options included power windows (1956), hydraulically
operated power convertible
top (1956), heavy duty brakes and suspension (1957),
and four speed manual transmission
(late 1957).
Delco Radio transistorized signal-seeking "hybrid"
car radio, which used both vacuum tubes and transistors
in its radio's circuitry (1956 option).

1960
Corvette Convertible

The
1958 Corvette received a body and interior freshening
which included a longer front end with quad headlamps,
bumper exiting exhaust tips, a new steering wheel,
and a dashboard with all gauges mounted directly in
front of the driver.
Exclusive to the 1958 model were hood louvers and
twin trunk spears.
The 1959–60 model years had few changes except a decreased
amount of body chrome and more powerful engine offerings.

In
1961, the rear of the car was completely redesigned
with the addition of a "duck tail" with four round
lights. The light treatment would continue for all
following model year Corvettes until 2014.
In 1962, the Chevrolet 283 cu in (4.64 L)
Small-Block
was enlarged to 327 cu in (5.36 L).
In standard form it produced 250 bhp (190 kW).
For an extra 12% over list price, the fuel-injected
version produced 360 bhp (270 kW),
making it the fastest of the C1 generation. 1962 was
also the last year for the wrap around windshield,
solid rear axle, and convertible-only body style.
The trunk lid and exposed headlamps did not reappear
for many decades.

Second
generation-C2 (1963–1967)

The
second generation (C2) Corvette, which introduced
Sting Ray to the model, continued with fiberglass
body panels, and overall, was smaller than the first
generation. The C2 was later referred to as mid-years.
The car was designed by Larry
Shinoda with major inspiration from a previous
concept design called the "Q Corvette," which was
created by Peter Brock and Chuck Pohlmann under the
styling direction of Bill
Mitchell.
Earlier, Mitchell had sponsored a car known as the
"Mitchell Sting Ray" in 1959 because Chevrolet no
longer participated in factory racing. This vehicle
had the largest impact on the styling of this generation,
although it had no top and did not give away what
the final version of the C2 would look like.
The third inspiration was a Mako
Shark Mitchell had caught while deep-sea fishing.

Production
started for the 1963 model year and ended in 1967.
Introducing a new name, "Sting Ray", the 1963 model
was the first year for a Corvette coupé
and it featured a distinctive tapering rear deck (a
feature that later reappeared on the 1971 "Boattail"
Buick
Riviera) with, for 1963 only, a split rear window.
The Sting Ray featured hidden headlamps, non-functional
hood vents, and an independent
rear suspension.
Corvette chief engineer Zora
Arkus-Duntov never liked the split rear window
because it blocked rear vision, but Mitchell thought
it to be a key part of the entire design. Maximum
power for 1963 was 360 bhp (270 kW) and
was raised to 375 bhp (280 kW) in 1964.
Options included electronic
ignition, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered
Delcotronic first offered on some 1963 Pontiac
models.
On 1964 models the decorative hood vents were eliminated
and Duntov, the Corvette's chief engineer, got his
way with the split rear window changed to a full width
window.

1965
Corvette Sting Ray Coupe

Four-wheel
disc
brakes were introduced in 1965, as was a "big
block" engine option: the 396 cu in
(6.49 L) V8. Side exhaust pipes were also
optionally available in 1965, and continued to be
offered through 1967. The introduction of the 425 bhp
(317 kW) 396 cu in (6.49 L) big
block in 1965 spelled the beginning of the end for
the Rochester
fuel injection system.
The 396 cu in (6.49 L) option cost
US$292.70
while the fuel injected 327 cu in (5.36 L)
engine cost US$538.00.
Few people could justify spending US$245.00
more for 50 bhp (37 kW) less, even though
FI could deliver over 20 mpg on the highway and would
keep delivering fuel despite high G-loading in corners
taken at racing speeds. Another rare '63 and '64 option
was the Z06 competition package, which offered stiffer
suspension, bigger, multi-segment lined brakes with
finned drums and more, only a couple hundred coupes
and ONE convertible were factory-equipped this way
in 1963. With only 771 fuel-injected cars built in
1965, Chevrolet discontinued the option at the end
of the '65 production, having introduced a less-expensive
big block 396 engine rated at 425 hp in the middle
of the production year and selling over 2,000 in just
a few months. For 1966, Chevrolet introduced an even
larger 427 cu in (7.00 L) Big
Block version. Other options available on the
C2 included the Wonderbar auto-tuning AM radio, AM-FM
radio (mid-1963), air conditioning (late-1963), a
telescopic steering wheel (1965), and headrests (1966).
The Sting Ray's independent rear suspension was successfully
adapted for the new-for-1965 Chevrolet
Corvair, which solved the quirky handling problems
of that unique rear-engine compact.

1967
Corvette Sting Ray Convertible

1967
was the final year for the C2 generation. The 1967
model featured restyled fender vents, less ornamentation,
and back-up lamps which were on the inboard in 1966
were now rectangular and centrally located. The first
use of all four taillights in red started in 1961
and was continued thru the C-2 line-up except for
the 1966. The 1967 and subsequent models continuing
on all Corvettes since. 1967 had the first L88 engine
option which was rated at 430 bhp (320 kW),
but unofficial estimates place the actual output at
560 bhp (420 kW) or more.
Only twenty such engines were installed at the factory.
From 1967 (to 1969), the Holley triple two-barrel
carburetor, or Tri-Power,
was available on the 427 L89 (a $368 option, on top
of the cost for the high-performance 427).
Despite these changes, sales slipped over 15%, to
22,940 (8,504 coupes, off close to 15%, and 14,436
convertibles, down nearly 19%).

Duntov
came up with a lightweight version of the C2 in 1962.
Concerned about Ford and what they were doing with
the Shelby
Cobra, GM planned to manufacture 100 Grand
Sport Corvettes, but only five were actually built.
They were driven by historic drivers such as Roger
Penske, A.
J. Foyt, Jim
Hall, and Dick Guldstrand among others. Today
the five cars (001-005) are all held by private owners,
and are among the most coveted and valuable Corvettes
ever built.
002 is exhibited in the Simeone Foundation Automotive
Museum and is in running condition.

Third
generation-C3 (1968–1982)

The
third generation Corvette, patterned after the Mako
Shark II concept car, was introduced for the 1968
model year and was in production until 1982. C3 coupes
featured the first use of T-top
removable roof panels. It introduced monikers that
were later revived, such as LT-1, ZR-1, Z07 and Collector
Edition. In 1978, the Corvette's 25th anniversary
was celebrated with a two-tone Silver Anniversary
Edition and an Indy Pace Car replica edition of the
C3. This was also the first time that a Corvette was
used as a Pace Car for the Indianapolis
500.

Engines
and chassis components were mostly carried over from
the C2, but the body and interior were new. The 350 cu in
(5.7 L) engine replaced the old 327 cu in
(5.36 L) as the base engine in 1969, but power
remained at 300 bhp (224 kW). 1969 was the
only year for a C3 to optionally offer either a factory
installed side exhaust or normal rear exit with chrome
tips. The all-aluminum ZL1 engine was also new for
1969; the special big-block engine was listed at 430-hp
(320 kW), but was reported to produce 560 hp
(420 kW) and propelled a ZL1 through the 1/4
mile in 10.89 seconds.

There
was an extended production run for the 1969 model
year due a lengthy labor strike, which meant sales
were down on the 1970 models, to 17,316.
1970 small-block power peaked with the optional high
compression, high-revving LT-1 that produced 370 bhp
(276 kW). The 427 big-block was enlarged to 454 cu in
(7.44 L) with a 390 bhp (291 kW) rating.
The ZR-1 special package was an option available on
the 1970 through 1972 model years, and included the
LT-1 engine combined with special racing equipment.
Only 53 ZR-1's were built.

1973
Corvette Stingray Coupe

In
1971, to accommodate regular low-lead fuel with lower
anti-knock properties, the engine compression ratios
were lowered which resulted in reduced power ratings.
The power rating for the 350 cu in (5.7 L)
L48 base engine decreased from 300 to 270 horsepower
and the optional special high performance LT1 engine
decreased from 370 to 330 horsepower. The big-block
LS6
454 was reduced from 450 to 425 bhp (317 kW),
though it was not used in Corvettes for 1970; it was
used in the Chevelle
SS. For the 1972 model year, GM moved to the SAE
Net measurement which resulted in further reduced,
but more realistic, power ratings than the previous
SAE Gross standard.
Although the 1972 model's 350 cu in (5.7 L)
horsepower was actually the same as that for the 1971
model year, the lower net horsepower numbers were
used instead of gross horsepower. The L48 base engine
was now rated at 200 bhp (150 kW) and the
optional LT1 engine was now rated at 270 bhp
(200 kW).
1974 models had the last true dual exhaust system
that was dropped on the 1975 models with the introduction
of catalytic
converters requiring the use of no-lead fuel.
Engine power decreased with the base ZQ3 engine producing
165 bhp (123 kW), the optional L82's output
250 bhp (186 kW), while the 454 big-block
engine was discontinued. Gradual power increases after
1975 peaked with the 1980 model's optional L82 producing
230 bhp (172 kW).

Styling
changed subtly throughout the generation until 1978
for the car's 25th anniversary. The Sting Ray nameplate
was not used on the 1968 model, but Chevrolet still
referred to the Corvette as a Sting Ray; however,
the 1969 (through 1976) models used the "Stingray"
name as one word, without the space.
In 1970, the body design was updated including fender
flares, and interiors were refined, which included
redesigned seats,and indication lights near the gear
shift that were an early use of fiber optics . Due
to government regulation, the 1973 Corvette's chrome
front bumper
was changed to a 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h)system
with a urethane
bumper cover.
1973 Corvettes are unique in that sense, as they are
the only year where the front bumper was polyurethane
and the rear retained the chrome two-piece bumper
set. 1973 was also the last year chrome bumpers were
used. The optional wire-spoked wheel covers (left)
were offered for the last time in 1973. Only 45 Z07
were built in 1973. From 1974 onwards both the front
and rear bumpers were polyurethane.

1974
Corvette Stingray Coupe

In
1974, a 5-mile-per-hour (8 km/h) rear bumper
system with a two-piece, tapering urethane bumper
cover replaced the Kamm-tail
and chrome bumper blades, and matched the new front
design from the previous year. 1975 was the last year
for the convertible, (which did not return for 11
years) and Dave
McLellan succeeded Zora
Arkus-Duntov as the Corvette's Chief Engineer.
For the 1976 models the fiberglass floor was replaced
with steel panels to provide protection from the catalytic
converter's high operating
temperature. For 15 model years the names Corvette,
Sting Ray, and Stingray were synonymous. 1977 was
last year the tunneled roof treatment with vertical
back window was used, in addition leather seats were
available at no additional cost for the first time.
The black exterior color returned after a six-year
absence.

1978
Chevrolet Corvette

The
1978 25th Anniversary model introduced the fastback
glass rear window and featured a new interior and
dashboard. Corvette's 25th anniversary was celebrated
with the Indy 500 Pace Car limited edition and a Silver
Anniversary model featuring silver over gray lower
body paint. All 1979 models featured the previous
year's pace car seats and offered the front and rear
spoilers
as optional equipment.
53,807 were produced for the model year, making 1979
the peak production year for all versions of the Corvette.
Sales have trended downward since then.
In 1980, the Corvette received an integrated aerodynamic
redesign that resulted in a significant reduction
in drag.
After several years of weight increases, 1980 Corvettes
were lighter as engineers trimmed both body and chassis
weight.
In mid-1981, production shifted from St.
Louis, Missouri to Bowling
Green, Kentucky, and several two-tone paint options
were offered. The 1981 models were the last available
with a manual transmission until well into the 1984
production run. In 1982, a fuel-injected engine returned,
and a final C3 tribute Collectors Edition featured
an exclusive, opening rear window hatch.

Fourth
generation-C4 (1984–1996)

The
fourth generation Corvette was the first complete
redesign of the Corvette since 1963. Production was
to begin for the 1983 model year but quality issues
and part delays resulted in only 43 prototypes for
the 1983 model year being produced that were never
sold. All of the 1983 prototypes were destroyed or
serialized to 1984 except one with a white exterior,
medium blue interior, L83 350 ci, 205 bhp V8,
and 4-speed automatic transmission.
After extensive testing and modifications were completed,
it was initially retired as a display sitting in an
external wall over the Bowling Green Assembly Plant's
employee entrance. Later this only surviving 1983
prototype was removed, restored and is now on public
display at the National Corvette Museum in Bowling
Green, Kentucky. It is still owned by GM.
On February 12, 2014, it was nearly lost to a sinkhole
which opened up under the museum. Eight Corvettes
were lost.

Regular
fourth generation production began on January 3, 1983;
the 1984 model year and delivery to customers began
in March 1983. The 1984 model carried over the 350 cu in
(5.7 L) L83
slightly more powerful (5 bhp) "Crossfire" V8
engine from the final 1982 third generation model.
New chassis features were aluminum brake calipers
and an all-aluminum suspension for weight savings
and rigidity. The new one piece targa top had no center
reinforcement. A new electronic dashboard with digital
liquid
crystal displays for the speedometer and tachometer
was standard. Beginning in 1985, the 230 bhp
(170 kW) L98 engine with tuned port fuel injection
became the standard engine.

1986
Corvette Convertible Indy 500 Pace Car Edition

September
1984 through 1988 Corvettes offered a Doug Nash designed
"4+3" transmission – a 4-speed manual coupled to an
automatic overdrive on the top three gears. It was
designed to help the Corvette meet U.S. fuel economy
standards.
Since 1981 (when it was last offered), a manual transmission
returned to the Corvette starting with production
in late-1984. The transmission proved to be problematic
and was replaced by a modern ZF
6-speed manual transmission in 1989.

In
1986, the second Corvette Indy Pace Car was released.
It was the first convertible Corvette since 1975.
A Center High Mounted Signal Light (CHMSL) – a third
center brake light – was added in 1986 to comply with
safety regulations. While the color of the pace car
used in the race was yellow, all 1986 convertibles
also had an Indy 500 emblem mounted on the console,
making any color a "pace car edition". In 1987, the
B2K twin-turbo option became available from the factory.
The Callaway
Corvette was a Regular
Production Option (RPO B2K). The B2K option coexisted
from 1990 to 1991 with the ZR-1 option, which then
replaced it. Early B2Ks produced 345 bhp (257 kW)
and 450 lb·ft (610 N·m);
later versions boasted 450 bhp (336 kW)
and 613 lb·ft (831 N·m).

1988
saw the 35th Anniversary Edition of the Corvette.
Each of these featured a special badge with an identification
number mounted next to the gear selector, and were
finished with a white exterior, wheels, and interior.
In 1991, all Corvettes received updates to the body,
interior, and wheels. The convex rear fascia that
set the 1990 ZR-1 apart from the base model was now
included on L98 Corvettes, making the styling of the
expensive ZR-1 even closer to that of the base cars.
The most obvious difference remaining between the
base and ZR-1 models besides the wider rear wheels
was the location of the CHMSL, which was integrated
into the new rear fascia used on the base model, but
remained at the top of the rear-hatch on the ZR-1's.

1992
Corvette ZR-1

For
the 1992 model year, the 300 bhp (220 kW)
LT1
engine was introduced, an increase of 50 bhp
(37 kW) over 1991's L98 engine. This engine featured
reverse-flow
cooling (the heads were cooled before the block),
which allowed for a higher compression ratio of 10.5:1.
A new distributor was also debuted. Called "Optispark",
the distributor was driven directly off the front
of the camshaft and mounted in front of the timing
cover, just above the crankshaft and harmonic balancer.
Also new for 1992 was Acceleration Slip Regulation
(ASR), a form of traction control which utilized the
Corvette's brakes, spark retard, and throttle close-down
to prevent excessive rear wheel spin and possible
loss of control. The traction control device could
be switched off if desired.

A
special 40th Anniversary Edition was released in 1993,
which featured a commemorative Ruby Red color, 40th
anniversary badges, and embroidered seat backs. The
1993 Corvette also marked the introduction of the
Passive Keyless Entry System, making it the first
GM car to feature it. Production of the ZR-1 ended
in 1995, after 6,939 cars had been built.
1996 was the final year of C4 production, and featured
special models and options, including the Grand Sport
and Collector Edition, OBD II (On-Board Diagnostics),
run flat tires, and the LT4
engine. The 330 bhp (246 kW) LT4
V8 was available only with a manual transmission,
while all 300 bhp (224 kW) LT1 Corvettes
used automatic transmissions.

Chevrolet
released the Grand Sport (GS) version in 1996 to mark
the end of production of the C4 Corvette. The Grand
Sport moniker was a nod to the original Grand Sport
model produced in 1963. A total of 1,000 GS Corvettes
were produced, 810 as coupes and 190 as convertibles.
The 1996 GS came with the high-performance LT4V8 engine,
producing 330 bhp (246 kW) and 340 lb·ft
(460 N·m). The Grand Sport came only in Admiral
Blue with a white stripe down the middle, and black
wheels and two red stripes on the front left wheel
arch.

Fifth
generation-C5 (1997–2004)

Production
of the C5 Corvette began in 1997 and ended with the
2004 model year. The C5 had a top speed of 181 mph
(291 km/h) and was judged by the automotive press
as improved in nearly every area over the previous
Corvette design with the inclusion of a torque tube
and rear transaxle along with the car's much increased
structural rigidity and much more curvaceous design.

Corvette
Z06 Hardtop Coupe

Also
introduced with the C5 was GM's new LS1
small block. This third-generation small block V8
was completely redesigned. Now all-aluminum, it featured
a distributor-less ignition and a new cylinder firing
order. It was initially rated at 345 bhp (257 kW)
and 350 lb·ft (470 N·m), but was increased
to 350 bhp (260 kW) in the 2001 edition.
The new engine, combined with the new body and its
low 0.29 drag coefficient, was able to achieve up
to 28 mpg on the highway.

For
its first year, the C5 was available only as a coupe,
although the new platform was designed from the ground
up to be a convertible, which returned in 1998, followed
by the fixed-roof coupe (FRC) in 1999. One concept
for the FRC was for it to be a stripped-down model
with a possible V6 engine (nicknamed in-house as the
"Billy Bob").
By 2000, FRC plans laid the groundwork for the return
in 2001 of the Z06, an RPO option not seen since Zora's
1963 race-ready Corvette.

The
Z06 model replaced the FRC model as the highest performance
C5 Corvette. Instead of a heavier double-overhead
cam engine like the ZR-1 of the C4 generation, the
Z06 used an LS6, a 385 bhp (287 kW) derivative
of the standard LS1 engine. Using the much more rigid
fixed roof design allowed the Z06 unprecedented handling
thanks to upgraded brakes and less body flex.
Those characteristics, along with the use of materials
such as a titanium exhaust system and a carbon fiber
hood in the 2004 model year, led to further weight
savings and performance gains for the C5 Z06. The
LS6 was later upgraded to 405 bhp (302 kW)for
2002–2004. Although the Z06's rated power output equal
to that of the C4 ZR-1, the improved rigidity, suspension,
brakes, and reduced weight of the C5 produced a car
quicker than C4 ZR-1.

Sixth
generation-C6 (2005–2013)

The
C6 Corvette retained the front engine and rear transmission
design of the C5, but was otherwise all-new, including
new bodywork with exposed headlamps (for the first
time since 1962), a larger passenger compartment,
a new 6.0 liter engine and a reworked suspension geometry.
It had a longer wheelbase than the C5, but its overall
vehicle length and width were less than the C5, allegedly
to widen appeal to the European market.[citation
needed] The 6.0L (364 cu in)
LS2 V8 produced 400 bhp (300 kW) at 6000 rpm
and 400 lb·ft (540 N·m) at 4400 rpm,
giving the vehicle a 0–60 time of under 4.2 seconds.
Its top speed was 190 mph (310 km/h).

The
C6 generation did not match the previous generation's
relatively good fuel
economy, despite its relatively low 0.28 drag
coefficient and low curb weight, achieving 16/26
mpg (city/highway) equipped with automatic or manual
transmissions; like all manual transmission Corvettes
since 1989, it is fitted with Computer Aided Gear
Selection (CAGS) to improve fuel economy by requiring
drivers to shift from 1st gear directly to 4th in
low-speed/low-throttle conditions. This feature helps
the C6 avoid the Gas
Guzzler Tax by achieving better fuel economy.

The
new Z06 arrived as a 2006 model in the third quarter
of 2005. It has a 7.0 L version of the small
block engine codenamed LS7.
At 427.6 cubic inches, the Z06 was the largest small
block ever offered from General Motors. Because of
the Corvette's former use of 427 cubic-inch big blocks
in the late-1960s and early 1970s, the LS7's size
was rounded down to 427 cubic inches. Official output
was 505 bhp (377 kW) and has a 0-60 mph
(97 km/h) time of 3.7 seconds. Top speed is 198
MPH.

For
2008, the Corvette received a mild freshening: a new
LS3
engine with displacement increased to 6.2 L (380 cu in),
resulting in 430 bhp (321 kW) and 424 lb·ft
(575 N·m) (436 bhp (325 kW) and 428 lb·ft
(580 N·m) if ordered with the optional performance
exhaust). The 6-speed manual transmission also has
improved shift linkage and a 0–60 time of 4.0 seconds,
while the automatic is set up for quicker shifts giving
the C6 automatic a 0–60 time of 4.0 seconds, faster
than any other production automatic Corvette. The
interior was slightly updated and a new 4LT leather-wrap
interior package was added. The wheels were also updated
to a new five-spoke design.

ZR1
was formally announced in a December 2007 press statement
by General Motors, where it was revealed that their
target of 100 bhp (75 kW) per 1 L (61 cu in)
had been reached by a new "LS9" engine with an Eaton-supercharged
6.2-liter engine producing 638 bhp (476 kW)
and 604 lb·ft (819 N·m). The LS9 engine
was the most powerful to be put into a GM production
sports car.
Its top speed was 205 mph (330 km/h).

The
historical name Grand Sport returned to the
Corvette lineup in 2010 as an entirely new model series
that replaced the Z51 option. The new model was basically
an LS3 equipped Z06 with a steel frame instead of
aluminum. It retained many of the features of the
Z06 including a wide body with 18x9.5 and 19x12 inch
wheels, dry sump oiling (manual transmission coupes
only), 6-piston 14" front brakes and 4-piston rear,
and improved suspension.
Manual power train equipped G/S coupe models receive
a tweaked LS3 with a forged crank, are built in Z06
fashion by hand, and utilize a dry-sump oil system.
The first three gears were also made shorter for better
throttle response and faster acceleration.
A new launch control system was introduced for all
models that allows for sub 4 second 0-60. EPA estimated
26 MPG highway, 1.0 G on skid pad.

2010
Corvette Grand Sport

Beginning
with the 2011 model year, buyers of the Corvette Z06
and ZR1 were offered the opportunity to assist in
the build of their engine. Titled the "Corvette Engine
Build Experience," buyers paid extra to be flown to
the Wixom, Michigan Performance Build Center.
Participants helped the assembly line workers build
the V8 engine, then took delivery of the car at the
National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, near
the Corvette final assembly point.

The
last C6 Corvette was manufactured in February 2013.

In
May 2013, a federal investigation of problems with
more than 100,000 C6 lighting systems was announced.

Seventh
generation-C7 (2014–present)

The
next-generation (C7) Corvette had been in development
since 2007. Originally set to be introduced for the
2011 model year, its introduction was delayed for
3 years. It was finally released for the 2014 model
year.
Mid-engine
and rear-engine
layouts had been considered, but the front-engine,
rear-wheel drive (RWD)
platform was chosen to keep production costs lower.

To
GM's product planners and marketers, the fact that
the Corvette had become known as an "old man's toy"
became a prime factor in developing the next generation.
Studies showed that about 46 percent of Corvette buyers
in 2012, through October, were 55 or older, compared
with 22 percent of Audi
R8 and 30 percent of Porsche
911 customers. The head of Chevy marketing, Chris
Perry, acknowledges that too many people saw it as
the car of "the successful plumber." John Fitzpatrick,
Corvette's marketing manager said "It's the old saying,
'Nobody wants to be seen driving an old man's car,
but everybody wants to be seen driving a young man's
car.' "
To counter that perception GM planned to make the
new generation C7 more aspirational to younger people.
Towards that end, a camouflaged version of the car
was made available in the popular video game Gran
Turismo 5 in November 2012.
As part of the marketing effort associated with the
introduction of the new generation, the 2013 Indianapolis
500 utilized a Corvette for the 12th time as its pace
car.

Sales
success of the new Corvette is important to GM. The
Motley Fool reports that the Corvette could be
earning GM $10,000 or more in gross profit for every
Corvette it sells.
GM's profit on sales is separate from the profits
made by the individual dealerships selling the cars
to the public.

The
2014 Chevrolet Corvette uses an LT1 6.2 L V8 (376
cu in) making 455 bhp (339 kW) or 460 bhp
(340 kW) with the optional performance exhaust.
The LT1 engine (the "LT1" designation was first used
by GM in 1970 and then later in 1992.) is in the Gen
5 family of small
block engines, which will be used in GM vehicles
as the new small V8 option. It features three technologies
new to the GM V8, though widely available on other
engines in the marketplace: direct injection, variable
valve timing, and an active fuel management system.
Fuel injectors are located under the intake manifold.
The Corvette remains rear-wheel drive with the transaxle
located in the rear. Transmission choices include
a 7-speed manual or a 8-speed automatic with paddle
shifters. The new interior includes wide-bottom seats
as standard, with sportier versions with high side
bolsters optional. The Corvette's flag logo has been
revised for the new car and a small casting of a stingray
has been added to the car's ornamentation.

Features
of the new generation's structure include a carbon
fiber hood and removable roof panel. The fenders,
doors and rear quarter panels remain composite. At
the rear of the car, the trademark round taillights
have changed to a more squarish form. The underbody
panels are made of "carbon-nano" composite and it
makes use of a new aluminum frame which locates the
four wheels an inch farther apart, front to rear and
side to side. Luggage space decreased by 33% from
the previous generation's.
The overall weight of the car was not announced by
General Motors for many months after its first showing
in January 2013. Despite the increased use of aluminum
and other light weight materials, numerous publications
reported that the weight would remain essentially
unchanged from that of the previous generation's.
In August, 2013, the weight of the new Corvette was
reported to be 3,444 lb (1,562 kg),
meaning it would weigh more than the previous generation's
C6 ZR1 model (3,324 lb (1,508 kg)). The
ZR1 C6 weight included a supercharger and intercooler
on its 6.2L engine.

Chevrolet
announced the C7 Z06 at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
The 2015 Z06 Corvette has 650 bhp from the supercharged
LT4 aluminum 6.2L V-8 engine.

The
new generation Corvette resurrected the "Stingray"
name (originally spelled "Sting Ray"), last used in
1976.

For
the 2015 model, Chevrolet began offering a transaxle
version of the 8L90
8-speed automatic to replace the previous 6-speed
6L80.

Awards

Automobile
Magazine ranked the 1963–1967 Sting Ray
first on their "100 Coolest Cars" list, above the
Dodge
Viper GTS, the Porsche
911, and others.
In 2013, Automobile Magazine had selected the Corvette
C7 as its "Automobile of the Year".

Car
and Driver readers selected the Corvette
"Best all around car" nine out of eleven years in
Car and Driver's Reader's Choice Polls including
1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975.

Car
and Driver magazine selected the Corvette for
its annual Ten
Best list sixteen times: the C4 from 1985 through
1989, the C5 in 1998, 1999, and 2002 through 2004,
the C6 from 2005 through 2009, and the C7 in 2014.

Edmunds.com,
in its "100 Best Cars Of All Time" list, ranked
the 1963 Corvette Stingray as the 16th best car
ever produced worldwide. The 1990 ZR1 took #50,
the 1955 Corvette V8 took #72, and the 2009 ZR1
took #78 overall.

NASA

Astronaut
Alan
Shepard, a long time Corvette owner, was invited
by then GM Chief Engineer Zora
Arkus-Duntov to drive pre-production Corvette
models. General Motors executives later gave Shepard
a 1972 model with a Bill Mitchell interior. Jim
Rathmann, a Melbourne,
Florida Chevrolet dealer and winner of the 1960
Indy 500, befriended astronauts Shepard, Gus
Grissom, and Gordon
Cooper. Rathman convinced GM President Ed
Cole to set up a program which supplied each astronaut
with a pair of new cars each year. Most chose a family
car for their wives and a Corvette for themselves.
In his memoir Last Man On The Moon, Gene
Cernan describes how this worked. The astronauts
received brand-new Corvettes which they were given
the option to purchase at a 'used' price after they'd
been driven 3000 miles. Alan
Bean recalls Corvettes lined up in the parking
lot outside the astronaut offices at the Johnson
Space Center in Houston, and friendly races between
Shepard and Grissom along the Florida beach roads
and beaches themselves as local police turned a blind
eye.
Shepard, Grissom and Cooper even pulled each other
on skis in the shallow water. The Mercury and later
astronauts were unofficially tied to the Corvette
and appeared in official photographs with their cars
and with mock-ups of space vehicles such as the Lunar
Module or Lunar
Rover. Cooper talked of the races along Cocoa
Beach in his eulogy of Shepard at the Johnson Space
Center in 1998.

Concept
cars

Corvette
concept cars have inspired the designs of several
generations of Corvettes.
The first Corvette, Harley
Earl's 1953 EX-122 Corvette
prototype was itself, a concept show car, first
shown to the public at the 1953 GM Motorama
at the Waldorf-Astoria
Hotel in New York City on January 17, 1953. It
was brought to production in six months with only
minor changes.

Harley
Earl's successor, Bill
Mitchell was the man behind most of the Corvette
concepts of the 1960s and 1970s. The second-generation
(C2) of 1963 was his, and its design first appeared
on the Sting
Ray racer of 1959. It made its public debut at
Maryland's Marlborough Raceway on April 18, 1959,
powered by a 283 cu in (4.64 L) V8
with experimental 11:1 compression aluminum cylinder
heads and took fourth place. It raced through 1960
wearing only "Sting Ray" badges before retiring to
tour the auto-show circuit in 1961.

In
1961 the XP-755 Mako
Shark show car was designed by Larry Shinoda as
a concept for future Corvettes. In keeping with the
name, the streamlining, pointed snout, and other detailing
was partly inspired by the look of that very fast
fish. The 1961 Corvette tail was given two additional
tail lights (six total) for the concept car. The body
inspired the 1963 production Sting Ray.[citation
needed]

In
1965 Mitchell removed the original concept body and
redesigned it as the Mako Shark II. Chevrolet actually
created two of them, only one of which was fully functional.
The original Mako Shark was then retroactively called
the Mako Shark I. The Mako Shark II debuted in 1965
as a show car and this concept influenced Mitchell's
redesigned Corvette of 1968.[citation
needed]

The
Aerovette
has a mid-engine
configuration using a transverse
mounting of its V-8 engine. Zora
Arkus-Duntov's engineers originally built two
XP-882s during 1969. John
DeLorean, Chevy general manager, ordered one for
display at the 1970 New
York Auto Show. In 1972, DeLorean authorized further
work on the XP-882. A near-identical body in aluminum
alloy was constructed and became the XP-895 "Reynolds
Aluminum Car." Duntov and Mitchell responded with
two Chevrolet
Vega (stillborn) Wankel
2-rotor engines joined together as a 4-rotor 420 hp
(310 kW) engine which was used to power the XP-895.
It was first shown in late 1973. The 4-rotor show
car was outfitted with a 400 cu in (6.6 L)
small-block V8 in 1977 and rechristened Aerovette.
GM chairman Thomas
Murphy approved the Aerovette for 1980 production,
but Mitchell's retirement that year, combined with
then Corvette chief engineer Dave
McLellan's lack of enthusiasm for the mid-engine
design and slow-selling data on mid-engined cars killed
the last hope for a mid-engine Corvette.[citation
needed]

A
Corvette Stingray Anniversary concept car was unveiled
at the 2009 Detroit
Auto Show, fifty years after the Sting Ray racer-concept
of 1959.
The vehicle was based on a combination of the 1963
Sting Ray and the 1968 Stingray. The new Stingray
concept appears in the 2009 movie Transformers:
Revenge of the Fallen, as the vehicle mode
of the character Sideswipe.
A convertible/speedster version was used for the same
character in the 2011 sequel, Transformers:
Dark of the Moon.

1959
Sting Ray racer-concept

1961
Mako Shark concept

1965
Mako Shark II concept

1977
Aerovette concept

2009
Corvette Stingray concept

Production

Production
statistics from 1953 when the first generation of
Corvette's were released until present.

Year

Production

Notes

C1

1953

?300

First generation (C1) begins;
production starts on June 30; polo white with
red interior and black top is only color combination;
Options were interior door handles; "clip in"
side curtains were a substitute for roll-up windows.

1954

?3,640

Production moves to St.
Louis; exterior colors-blue, red, and black
are added; top color-beige is added, longer tail
pipes.

1955

? 700

Both inline-6
and 265 cu in (4.34 L) V8
engines produced; 3-speed manual transmission
added late in the model year.

Significant power drops due to
reduced compression ratios to meet GM corporate
edict requiring all engines to run low-octane
unleaded gasoline; power ratings based on both
"gross" and "net" figures with the former based
on engine hooked to dynometer while "net" ratings
based on power as installed in vehicle with accessories
and emission controls installed.

1972

27,004

Power ratings now advertised in
SAE net figures, last year for LT-1 engine, front
and rear chrome bumpers, removable rear window,
and windshield wiper door.

Lightened materials, new hood,
front end with molded spoilers, rear bumper cover
with molded spoiler and new tail lamps, Federal
government required 85 mph (137 km/h)
speedometer; California cars powered by 305 V8
and automatic transmission for this year only,
last year for L-82 engine- (n/a with manual transmission)

1981

40,606

Production is switched from St.
Louis to new Bowling Green plant; 350 cu in
(5.7 L) V8 returns in California cars, last
year for manual transmission.

Seventh generation
(C7) begins; All new styling, chassis and
drivetrain.

C7

2015

34,240

C7 Z06 debuts.

Total

1,595,026

Owner
demographics

According
to research by Specialty
Equipment Market Association and Experian Automotive,
as of 2009, there were approximately 750,000 Corvettes
of all model years registered in the United States.
Corvette owners were fairly equally distributed throughout
the country, with the highest density in Michigan
(3.47 per 1000 residents) and the lowest density in
Utah, Mississippi, and Hawaii (1.66, 1.63, and 1.53
registrations per 1000 residents). 47% of them hold
college degrees (significantly above the nationwide
average of 27%), and 82% are between ages of 40 and
69 (median age being 53).

Racing

A
GT1 C6-R on the back straight of Long Beach

C5-R

The
Chevrolet Corvette C5-R is a grand touring racing
car built by Pratt & Miller and General Motors
for competition in endurance racing. The car is based
on the C5 generation of the Chevrolet Corvette sports
car, yet is designed purely for motorsports use.
It became one of the most dominant cars in GT categories,
with wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of
Sebring, and 24 Hours of Le Mans, as well as championships
in the American Le Mans Series.
The Corvette C5-Rs debuted in 1999 and continues to
be raced to this day, although the C5-R has effectively
been replaced by the Corvette C6.R.

C6.R

C6.R
GT1 (Z06) In 2005, the factory Corvette Team began
racing the C6.R to coincide with the new sixth generation
(C6) Corvette being released to the public. Private
teams, primarily in Europe, continued to race the
C5-R for a couple of years before switching to the
C6.R. Corvette C6.R went on to win its class at every
race it entered in the 2005 ALMS
season.
By the end of 2009, Corvette had clinched four consecutive
ALMS GT1 team and manufacturers titles (2005–2008)
and three Le
Mans 24 Hour class victories in the LMGT1 category
(2005, 2006, 2009). 2007 and 2008 races were won by
the factory Aston
Martin squad's DBR9.
The last official race for factory GT1 Corvettes was
the 2009
24 Hours of Le Mans.

C6.R
GT2 (ZR1) While some privateers continued to use
GT1 version of the C6.R in Europe, the official factory
team Corvette
Racing switched from the slowly dying GT1 category
to the much more competitive and popular GT2 class
in mid-2009. The new GT2 C6.R used a modified version
of the ZR1
model body, but does not have the ZR1 supercharged
engine. GT2 rules are based more on production vehicles,
therefore the GT2 C6.R naturally aspirated engine
was considerably more restricted and less powerful
than its predecessor. The car debuted at Mid-Ohio's
ALMS round. They achieved one ALMS race victory in
the remaining 2009 ALMS season, and one victory at
the final round of 2010 ALMS season, Petit
Le Mans. Corvette Racing's two GT2 C6.Rs also
led most of the 2010
24 Hours of Le Mans, but both cars were forced
to retire. Racing in the new GTE Pro class, the C6.R
raced in the 2011
24 Hours of Le Mans with the No. 73 car taking
the class victory. The No. 74 car led the class
for most of the race but crashed in the morning hours.
The C6.R raced by Larbre Competition also took the
GTE Am class victory.
In 2012, Corvette Racing returned to glory in the
ALMS winning 4 of 10 races and claiming the Driver's,
Team, and Manufacturer's Championships. Corvette Racing
repeated the feat in 2013 by winning 5 of 10 races
and claiming the Driver's, Team and Manufacturer's
Championships again.

Indianapolis
500 pace cars

A
Corvette has been selected as the pace
car at the Indianapolis
500, 13 times.
The 2008 edition of the Indy 500 represented a record
fifth-consecutive year to lead the field until 2009
when the Chevrolet
Camaro SS was selected. The Corvette's pace car
years and details include:

ABOUT ALISO
VIEJO CALIFORNIA
Aliso Viejo is a city in Orange County, California, United
States. As of the 2000 census, Aliso Viejo population
was 40,166. Aliso Viejo became Orange County's 34th city
on July 1, 2001, and has been the only city in Orange
County to incorporate since 2000. It borders the cities
of Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, and Laguna
Woods. Aliso Viejo was originally part of the 22,000 acre
Moulton Ranch. The Moulton family took title in the 1890's
to land originally granted to Juan Avila by the Mexican
government in 1842. In 1976, Mission Viejo Company purchased
the last 6,600 acres for a new planned community that
is now part of the City of Aliso Viejo. The first residential
units were offered in March of 1982 and the first residents
arrived in November of the same year. (previous information
from The City of Aliso Viejo) Aliso Viejo became Orange
County 's 34th city on July 1, 2001. The first planned
community in Orange County, it was targeted to middle
and upper-middle income homebuyers. Aliso Viejo had only
7,600 residents in 1990. Developers were building homes,
condos and apartments so fast that there were waiting
lists and lotteries held for singles and couples anxious
to be a part of the community. By 2000, the population
expanded by 32,000 residents, making it the top city in
population growth in Orange County. The zipcodes of Aliso
Viejo are: 92653, 92656, 92698

ABOUT
IRVINE CALIFORNIA

Irvine
borders Tustin and is an incorporated city in Orange
County, California, United States. It is a planned
city, mainly developed by the Irvine Company since
the 1960s. Formally incorporated on December 28,
1971, the 69.7 square mile (180.5 km²) city has
a population of 202,079 (as of 2007). It has annexed
in the past an undeveloped area to the north, and
has also annexed the former El Toro Marine Corps
Air Station, most of which is to be made into a
park called the Orange County Great Park. Currently,
Irvine is larger in land area than any other city
in Orange County because of its annexation of the
southern and eastern unincorporated areas. In June
2007, it was named The Safest City in the United
States (Irvine has held the title since 2005)

Irvine
is home to the University of California, Irvine
(UCI), the Orange County Center of University of
Southern California, and the Irvine Campus of Alliant
International University, Concordia University,
California State University Fullerton, Pepperdine
University and Irvine Valley College.

HISTORY
OF IRVINEEvidence of early campsites and
rock shelters in the undeveloped parts of the city puts
prehistoric man in the Irvine area at least 12,000 years
ago. Irvine was inhabited by the Gabrielino Indians about
2,000 years ago. Gaspar de Portola, a Spanish explorer,
came to the area in 1769. This brought on the establishment
of forts, missions and herds of cattle. The King of Spain
parceled out land for missions and private use. After
Mexico's independence from Spain in 1821, the Mexican
government secularized the missions and assumed control
of the lands. It began distributing the land to Mexican
citizens who applied for grants. Three large Spanish/Mexican
grants made up the land that later became the Irvine Ranch:
Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana, Rancho San Joaquin and Rancho
Lomas de Santiago. In 1864, Jose Sepulveda, owner of Rancho
San Joaquin sold 50,000 acres (200 km²) to Benjamin and
Thomas Flint, Llewellyn Bixby and James Irvine for $18,000
to resolve debts due to the Great Drought. In 1866, Irvine,
Flint and Bixby acquired 47,000-acre (190 km²) Rancho
Lomas de Santiago for $7,000. After the Mexican-American
war the land of Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana fell prey
to tangled titles. In 1868, the ranch was divided among
four claimants as part of a lawsuit: Flint, Bixby and
Irvine. The ranches were devoted to sheep grazing. However,
in 1870, tenant farming was permitted.

In 1878, James Irvine acquired his partners' interests
for $150,000. His 110,000 acres (450 km²) stretched 23
miles (37 km) from the Pacific Ocean to the Santa Ana
River. James Irvine died in 1886. The ranch was inherited
by his son, James Irvine, Jr. who incorporated it into
The Irvine Company. James, Jr. shifted the ranch operations
to field crops, olive and citrus crops. In 1888, the Santa
Fe Railroad extended its line to Fallbrook Junction (north
of San Diego) and named a station along the way after
James Irvine. The town that formed around this station
was named Myford, after Irvine's son, because a post office
in Calaveras County already bore the family name. The
town was later renamed Irvine, however, in 1914.[1] By
1918, 60,000 acres (240 km²) of lima beans were grown
on the Irvine Ranch. Two Marine Corps facilities were
built on the ranch during World War II and sold to the
government. James Irvine, Jr. died in 1947 at the age
of 80. His son, Myford, assumed the presidency of The
Irvine Company. He began opening small sections of the
Irvine Ranch to urban development. Myford died in 1959.
The same year, the University of California asked The
Irvine Company for 1,000 acres (4 km²) for a new university
campus. The Irvine Company gave away the requested land
and the State purchased an additional 500 acres (2 km²).William
Pereira, the University's consulting architect, and The
Irvine Company planners drew up master plans for a city
of 50,000 people surrounding the new university. The area
would include industrial, residential and recreational
areas, commercial centers and greenbelts. The new community
was to be named Irvine; the old agricultural town of Irvine,
where the railroad station and post office were located,
was renamed East Irvine. The villages of Turtle Rock,
University Park, Culverdale, the Ranch and Walnut were
completed by 1970. On December 28, 1971, the residents
of these communities voted to incorporate a substantially
larger city than the one envisioned by the Pereira plan.
By January 1999, Irvine had a population of 134,000 and
a total area of 43 square miles (111 km²).

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY:

Orange County is a county in Southern California, United
States. Its county seat is Santa Ana. According to the
2000 Census, its population was 2,846,289, making it the
second most populous county in the state of California,
and the fifth most populous in the United States. The
state of California estimates its population as of 2007
to be 3,098,121 people, dropping its rank to third, behind
San Diego County. Thirty-four incorporated cities are
located in Orange County; the newest is Aliso Viejo.

Unlike many other large centers of population in the United
States, Orange County uses its county name as its source
of identification whereas other places in the country
are identified by the large city that is closest to them.
This is because there is no defined center to Orange County
like there is in other areas which have one distinct large
city. Five Orange County cities have populations exceeding
170,000 while no cities in the county have populations
surpassing 360,000. Seven of these cities are among the
200 largest cities in the United States.

Orange County is also famous as a tourist destination,
as the county is home to such attractions as Disneyland
and Knott's Berry Farm, as well as sandy beaches for swimming
and surfing, yacht harbors for sailing and pleasure boating,
and extensive area devoted to parks and open space for
golf, tennis, hiking, kayaking, cycling, skateboarding,
and other outdoor recreation. It is at the center of Southern
California's Tech Coast, with Irvine being the primary
business hub.

The average price of a home in Orange County is $541,000.
Orange County is the home of a vast number of major industries
and service organizations. As an integral part of the
second largest market in America, this highly diversified
region has become a Mecca for talented individuals in
virtually every field imaginable. Indeed the colorful
pageant of human history continues to unfold here; for
perhaps in no other place on earth is there an environment
more conducive to innovative thinking, creativity and
growth than this exciting, sun bathed valley stretching
between the mountains and the sea in Orange County.

Orange County was Created March 11 1889, from part of
Los Angeles County, and, according to tradition, so named
because of the flourishing orange culture. Orange, however,
was and is a commonplace name in the United States, used
originally in honor of the Prince of Orange, son-in-law
of King George II of England.

About
Mission Viejo California:Located
in South Orange County, Mission Viejo is a planned community
that once had cattle grazing on its hillsides. The land
was purchased from the O’Neill family nearly half
a century ago, and the first homes were built in 1966. By
the late 80’s, Mission Viejo became a city, and now
houses almost 100,000 residents. Locals enjoy activities
at the Mission Viejo Lake, shopping at The Shops at Mission
Viejo and the Kaleidoscope Courtyard, and their biggest
celebration of the year at the July 4th Street Fair. The
community is also proud of their world renowned Nadadores
swim team and Saddleback Community College, which offers
some of the best courses in the county. The zipcodes of
Mission Viejo are: 92675, 92690, 92691, 92692, 92694

Mission Hospital
is the largest hospital in south Orange County and serves as the
area's regional trauma center. It also offers one of two Children's
Hospital of Orange County locations providing care for children.
Mission Viejo has numerous recreational areas such as the Norman
P. Murray Community and Senior Center[18] there are about two parks
per square mile. The city has three golf courses, The Mission Viejo
Country Club, Casta del Sol Golf Course, and the Arroyo Trabuco
Golf Club. At the center of the city is a man-made lake, Lake Mission
Viejo, a private association for Mission Viejo residents with custom
waterfront homes, condominiums, boat and paddle board rentals, fishing,
and swim beaches. Lake Mission Viejo also holds events such as music
concerts and movie screenings, usually complimentary for members
and typically during the summer season. The Shops at Mission Viejo
and the Kaleidescope Courtyards serve as the city's two main shopping,
dining and entertainment centers. Both cater to an upper middle
class customer demographic and feature family-oriented facilities
and services. Mission Viejo also hosts a number of athletic events
such as 5K runs and triathlons throughout the year. The city holds
a variety of annually recurring events to celebrate holidays including
a street fair and fireworks for Independence Day and public decorations
and interactive activities for children during the winter holiday
season featuring representation for multiple popular religions.

HISTORY
Mission Viejo was purchased by John Forster, a Mexican also known
as Don Juan. During the Mexican-American War, Forster provided fresh
horses to United States military forces which were used on the march
of San Diego to retake Los Angeles. Mission Viejo was a hilly region
primarily used as cattle and sheep grazing land, since it was of
little use to farmers. This city was one of the last regions of
Orange County to be urbanized due to its geologic complexity. In
1960, early developers dismissed most of the land in Mission Viejo
as simply "undevelopable".[8] Donald Bren, an urban planner who
later became the president of the Irvine Company, drafted a master
plan which placed roads in the valleys and houses on the hills,
and contoured to the geography of the area.[8] The plan worked,
and by 1980 much of the city of Mission Viejo was completed. During
the late 1970s and the 1980s, houses in Mission Viejo were in such
high demand that housing tracts often sold out before construction
even began on them.[9] The houses and shopping centers in the city
are almost uniformly designed in a Spanish mission style, with "adobe"-like
stucco walls and barrel-tile roofs. Many point to Mission Viejo
as the first and largest manifestation of Bren's obsession with
Spanish architecture. Bren's company was also the creator of the
developments in Irvine, and Newport Beach. The company expanded
its operations and went on to build the Lakes project in Tempe,
Arizona, Mission Viejo Aurora in Colorado and was the initial master
planner of Highlands Ranch, both in the Denver Metropolitan area.
The seal of the city of Mission Viejo was designed and drawn by
Carl Glassford, an artist and former resident of the city.

Sports
Mission Viejo has a major youth athletic facility, Mission Viejo
Youth Athletic Park. The park consists of eight baseball fields
and five soccer fields. It is host to Little League District 68,
AYSO Region 84, and four competitive soccer clubs: Pateadores Soccer
Club, Mission Viejo Soccer Club, West Coast Futbol Club, and Saddleback
United Soccer Club. The Mission Viejo Nadadores Swimming and Mission
Viejo Nadadores Diving Team won a string of national championships
and produced a number of Olympians and world record holders in the
1970s and 1980s. Olympians included Shirley Babashoff, Brian Goodell,
Larson Jenson, Maryanne Graham, Nicole Kramer, Casy Converse, Marcia
Morey, Dara Torres, and Greg Louganis. Mission Viejo hosted the
Road Cycling Events during the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los
Angeles. The old O'Neill Road was renamed Olympiad Rd. in honor
of the Olympic events in 1984. There is also a soccer facility,
now used by the town's youth soccer program, that was used as a
training field by the United States men's national soccer team before
and during the 1994 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States.
Mission Viejo is the largest AYSO Region in the country. The Saddleback
College ballpark hosted the Mission Viejo Vigilantes minor league
baseball team of the Western Baseball League from 1996–2001. Now
the ballpark has a semi-pro collegiate team, the Orange County Fire.
Mission Viejo is also the hometown of NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez,
Minnesota Twins pitcher Phil Hughes, and Chicago White Sox first
baseman Adam LaRoche, former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Don August,
Boston Red Sox outfielder Allen Craig, Top Shot Season 4 Champion
Chris Cheng, and PBA Tour Champion Scott Norton.

Mission
Viejo neighbors the city of Lake Forest: Lake Forest is a planned
community that was once a stagecoach stop between Los Angeles and
San Diego. The community then called “El Toro” was in
fact formed after WWII with the help of the El Toro Marine Base.
Lake Forest became a city in the early 1990’s, and now prides
itself on having the first of Orange County’s historical parks
by establishing Heritage Hill; the park was created to preserve
Lake Forest’s vibrant history. Lake Forest also has a new
planned neighborhood, Foothill Ranch offers both wilderness and
community. Foothill Ranch is home to The Whiting Ranch Wilderness
Park, which consists of trails, rock formations, and streams as
well as a rest stop and exhibits. This community is close to shopping,
dining and entertainment in South Orange County. Within Lake Forest
are the communities of Portola Hills, El Toro and Foothill Ranch.
Lake Forest borders Aliso Viejo, Irvine, Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills,
Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach and Rancho Santa Margarita. Lake Forest
offers fantastic mountain views and quiet living for singles, couples
and families in Orange County. Residents enjoy swimming, tennis,
basketball, and volleyball at the brand new Concourse Park. The
community is just minutes from various shopping centers and marketplaces.
The zipcodes of Lake Forest are: 92609, 92630, 92610, 92679.And
Mission Viejo neighbors the city of Rancho Santa Margarita:
Before it was owned by the O’Neill family, Rancho Santa Margarita
was home to Shoshonean Native Americans. RSM is one of the many
planned communities in Orange County and is also one of the newest,
having become a city in 2000. The community known as “A Small
City with the Soul of a Small Village” is the perfect place
for families and today nearly 50,000 people call it home. Community
activities such as the Fourth of July Celebration and the Summer
Concert Series are favorites among residents. Dove Canyon is a gated
community in Rancho Santa Margarita. Within
Rancho Santa Margarita are the communities of Dove Canyon and Coto
De Cazathat border the Cleveland
National Forest and is best known for its choice golf courses. Rancho
Santa Margarita borders Ladera Ranch, San Juan Capistrano, Mission
Viejo, San Clemente, Talega, Trabucco Canyon and Laguna Niguel.
Residents enjoy the outdoors at the Thomas F. Riley Wilderness Park
and the Wagon Wheel Park Bike Trails, as well as a variety
of community and family events such as the Boo Bash and Holiday
in the Park. The zipcodes of Rancho Santa Margarita are: 92688,
92679.